Top 10 Films of 2015

Another year of films. See my top ten favorites on the year after the jump...



10. Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief 

Dir. Alex Gibney
Distributed by HBO

"Alex Gibney profiles eight former members of the Church of Scientology, whose most prominent adherents include A-list Hollywood celebrities, shining a light on how the church cultivates true believers, including their experiences and what they are willing to do in the name of religion. The film covers a broad range of material from the church's origins—punctuated by an intimate portrait of founder L. Ron Hubbard—to present-day practices and alleged abuses as reported in the media." (Metacritic) 

9. Star Wars: The Force Awakens 

Dir. JJ Abrams
Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

"A continuation of the Star Wars saga." (Metacritic)

8. Youth 

Dir. Paolo Sorrentino
Distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures

"Fred (Michael Caine) and Mick (Harvey Keitel), two old friends, are on vacation in a luxury Swiss Alps lodge as they ponder retirement. While Fred has no plans to resume his musical career despite the urging of his loving daughter Lena (Rachel Weisz), Mick is intent on finishing the screenplay for what may be his last important film for his muse Brenda (Jane Fonda). And where will inspiration lead their younger friend Jimmy (Paul Dano), an actor grasping to make sense of his next performance? Set against a sprawling landscape of unforgettable sights and intoxicating music, Youth asks if our most important and life-changing experiences can come at any time – even late – in life." (Metacritic)

7. 99 Homes 

Dir. Ramin Bahrani

Distributed by Broad Green Pictures

"Charismatic and ruthless businessman Rick Carver (Michael Shannon), is making a killing by repossessing homes - gaming the real estate market, Wall Street banks and the US government. When he evicts Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield), a single father trying to care for his mother (Laura Dern) and young son (Noah Lomax), Nash becomes so desperate to provide for his family that he goes to work for Carver – the very man who evicted him in the first place. Carver promises Nash a way to regain his home and earn security for his family, but slyly seduces him into a lifestyle of wealth and glamour. It is a deal-with-the-devil that comes with an increasingly high cost - on Carver's orders, Nash must evict families from their homes. As Nash falls deeper into Carver's web, he finds his situation grows more brutal and dangerous than he ever imagined." (Metacritic)

6. Ex Machina 

Dir. Alex Garland 

Distributed by Universal Studios

"Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson), a programmer at an internet-search giant, wins a competition to spend a week at the private mountain estate of the company’s brilliant and reclusive CEO, Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac). Upon his arrival, Caleb learns that Nathan has chosen him to be the human component in a Turing Test—charging him with evaluating the capabilities, and ultimately the consciousness, of Nathan’s latest experiment in artificial intelligence. That experiment is Ava (Alicia Vikander), a breathtaking A.I. whose emotional intelligence proves more sophisticated, seductive––and more deceptive––than the two men could have imagined." (Metacritic)

5. The Revenant 

Dir. Alejandro G. Iñárritu

Distributed by 20th Century Fox

"In an expedition of the uncharted American wilderness, legendary explorer Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is brutally attacked by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team. In a quest to survive, Glass endures unimaginable grief as well as the betrayal of his confidant John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). Guided by sheer will and the love of his family, Glass must navigate a vicious winter in a relentless pursuit to live and find redemption." (Metacritic)

4. I'll See You In My Dreams 

Dir. Brett Haley
Distributed by Bleecker Street

"Carol, a widow in her 70's, is forced to confront her fears about love, family, and death. After her routine is rattled she decides to start dating again and falls into relationships with two very different men." (Metacritic)

3. Tangerine 

Dir. Sean S. Baker

Distributed by Magnolia Pictures

"It's Christmas Eve in Tinseltown and Sin-Dee (newcomer Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) is back on the block. Upon hearing that her pimp boyfriend (James Ransone, STARLET, "Generation Kill") hasn't been faithful during the 28 days she was locked up, the working girl and her best friend, Alexandra (newcomer Mya Taylor), embark on a mission to get to the bottom of the scandalous rumor. Their rip-roaring odyssey leads them through various subcultures of Los Angeles, including an Armenian family dealing with their own repercussions of infidelity." (Metacritic)

2. Best of Enemies 

Dir. Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville

Distributed by Magnolia Pictures & Participant Media

"In the summer of 1968, television news changed forever. Dead last in the ratings, ABC hired two towering public intellectuals to debate each other during the Democratic and Republican national conventions. William F. Buckley Jr. was a leading light of the new conservative movement. A Democrat and cousin to Jackie Onassis, Gore Vidal was a leftist novelist and polemicist. Armed with deep-seated distrust and enmity, Vidal and Buckley believed each other’s political ideologies were dangerous for America. Like rounds in a heavyweight battle, they pummeled out policy and personal insult—their explosive exchanges devolving into vitriolic name-calling. Live and unscripted, they kept viewers riveted. Ratings for ABC News skyrocketed. And a new era in public discourse was born." (Metacritic)

1. Mad Max: Fury Road 

Dir. George Miller

Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures

"In the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and everyone is fighting for the necessities of life, there are two rebels who just might be able to restore order—Max (Tom Hardy), a man of action and few words, who seeks peace of mind following the loss of his wife and child in the aftermath of the chaos, and Furiosa (Charlize Theron), a woman of action who believes her path to survival may be achieved if she can make it across the desert back to her childhood homeland." (Metacritic)